Earthquake in Korea is not very common. We usually have 20 to 40 earthquakes a year and many of them are not felt. On September 12th, two earthquakes struck the city of Gyeongju which is located about 370 km from Seoul. The first one was at 7:44pm with the intensity 5.1 and the second one was at 8:32pm with the intensity 5.8.
The earthquakes were also felt in Seoul. I was sitting by the dining table when I felt the shaking movement ~ but there was no rumbling sound. It only lasted for several seconds ~
South Korea is not earthquake-prone, unlike its neighbors China and Japan. Both countries have experienced damaging earthquakes throughout the years. There are buildings in Korea that may not have been built to prevent damage from strong earthquakes. Experts say that even a 5.5 intensity tremor could damage buildings. Another concern are the nuclear reactors in the country. There are nuclear reactors and waste disposal in Gyeongju.
The second Gyeongju earthquake is the strongest ever recorded in the history of Korea. It is also the 52nd tremor this year according to the Korea Meteorological Administration or KMA.
There has been no report of any injuries yet. Minor damages are being reported after the earthquake. Here are some of the photos submitted by netizens on SNS: